'Thou sayst thy God is full of might: Wilt thou grant with spear and shield, To detryve the right in the field, With helm, hauberk, and brandes bright, On stronge steedes good and light, Whether be of more power, Thy God almight, or Jupiter? And he sent rue to saye this If thou wilt have an horse of his, In all the lands that thou hast gone Such ne thou sawest never none: Favel of Cyprus, ne Lyard of Prys,[1] Be not at need as he is; And if thou wilt, this same day, He shall be brought thee to assay.' Richard answered, 'Thou sayest well Such a horse, by Saint Michael, I would have to ride upon.---- Bid him send that horse to me, And I shall assay what he be, If he be trusty, withoute fail, I keep none other to me in battail.' The messengers then home went, And told the Soldan in present, That Richard in the field would come him unto: The rich Soldan bade to come him unto A noble clerk that coulde well conjure, That was a master necromansour: He commanded, as I you tell, Thorough the fiende's might of hell, Two strong fiende's of the air, In likeness of two steedes fair, Both like in hue and hair, As men said that there were: No man saw never none sich; That one was a mare iliche, That other a colt, a noble steed, Where that he were in any mead, (Were the knight never so bold.) When the mare neigh wold, (That him should hold against his will,) But soon he woulde go her till, And kneel down and suck his dame, Therewith the Soldan with shame Shoulde king Richard quell, All this an angel 'gan him tell, That to him came about midnight. 'Awake,' he said, 'Goddis knight: My Lord doth thee to understand That thee shalt come an horse to land, Fair it is, of body ypight, To betray thee if the Soldan might; On him to ride have thou no drede For he thee helpe shall at need.' The angel gives king Richard several directions about managing this infernal horse, and a general engagement ensuing, between the Christian and Saracen armies,